Finned Tube Heat Exchangers
A heat exchanger is any type of device used to transfer heat from between mediums. In a finned tube heat exchanger, the exhaust fluid that must be heated or cooled is circulated through a series of tubes mounted into a shell. Air or a second fluid is then circulated through the shell on the outside of the tube bundle to transfer heat to or from the tubes. Fins are placed longitudinally along the shell to increase the surface area and improve the heat transfer capabilities. Design of finned tube heat exchangers is very specific to the application and takes into account the amount of heat that must be transferred, the flow rate required both inside and outside the tubesl, the diameter, thickness and length of the tubes, and the layout of the tube bundles and fins.
